Promoting Non Motorized Transportation in the Philippines

Introduction

In the large, crowded cities that are found in many developing countries, traffic congestion has led to serious environmental health concerns. It has also made other means of getting around increasingly difficult and dangerous.

To address this issue, HealthBridge’s Roads for People programme (now part of the Liveable Cities programme) focuses on decreasing reliance on fuel-dependent transport and increasing the use of fuel-free and active means of transport such as cycling and walking to reduce pollution and increase health.

During the first phase of this project, the concept of non-motorized transport (NMT) was highlighted in Quezon City and Southern Leyte in the Philippines. The benefits of NMT were promoted as minimizing air and noise pollution, encouraging healthy lifestyles, facilitating people’s physical mobility amidst rapid urbanization, and providing an economical alternative to expensive motorized transportation.

Objectives

The overall goal of the second phase of this project was to improve the environment (less pollution), economy (more jobs for the poor, less spending on transport among the poor), people’s health (more physical activity, less exposure to pollution) of cities throughout the Philippines. The project’s objectives were to:

• Increase public support for the concept of non-motorized transport (NMT).
• Increase government support for NMT as an environmentally and economically-friendly mode of transport.
• Improve the economic viability of the pedicab subsector.

Results Achieved

BILMAKO worked with both private and public sector groups to advocate for pedicabs and cycle parks for children and to improve cycling safety and opportunities in urban areas. Through its activities, which included establishing alliances with bikers’ clubs and the pedicab sector, hosting a bikers’ summit, fostering community advocacy, and supporting bike shops, the following results were achieved:

• Developed an 8-point Framework of Resolutions on Non-Motorized Transportation
• Generated local government support for “eco-friendly” city
• Facilitated the establishment of a pedicab drivers’ and operators’ association
• Facilitated the establishment of pedicab cooperatives
• Established a pedicab shop for design, building, repairs

For more information, see the final report.

Recommendations

One of the recommendations from the project’s first phase was to focus on the pedicab subsector as the first priority. This was taken as one of the areas of focus for this second phase project.

A recommendation emerging from this second phase was the need for statistically-valid data to assess the economic viability of the pedicab sector in the Philippines to support further work in this area. This work was undertaken in 2008, as was a Phase III project.